TAMPA -- Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka already is sending signals that he might be better than ever in 2017.
Brett Gardner, Chase Headley and Chris Carter -- all veteran hitters -- were overmatched in a two-inning, 30-pitch simulated game Thursday morning at Steinbrenner Field, one in which the Japanese righty felt so strong afterward that he went to bullpen and he threw another 45 pitches.
"Really good," manager Joe Girardi said.
"He had all of his pitches working," catcher Kyle Higashioka added after catching Tanaka's outing, which had pitching coach Larry Rothschild calling balls and strikes from behind the mound.